


Guess it's never really over

by ladyofdecember



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: APPLE CIDER, Autumn, Drinking & Talking, Fix-It, Halloween, M/M, Mutual Pining, Post Series, Reunions, Storms, mentions of Annie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2020-12-24 07:10:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21095459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyofdecember/pseuds/ladyofdecember
Summary: It was October 17th when along with the chilly temperatures and autumn winds blowing in, Troy Barnes also blew back into Abed's life once more.





	Guess it's never really over

**Author's Note:**

> This is a fix-it of sorts with Troy finally returning back to Greendale after traveling the world. He and Abed reunite. Because we all know if the series had continued, Troy would have come back for Abed.
> 
> ...
> 
> "Two years, and just like that  
My head still takes me back  
Thought it was done  
But I guess it's never really over
> 
> Oh, we were such a mess  
But wasn't it the best?  
Thought it was done  
But I guess it's never really over"  
-Never Really Over by Katy Perry

It was October 17th when along with the chilly temperatures and autumn winds blowing in, Troy Barnes also blew back into Abed's life once more. 

He had returned to Greendale, finally, after what seemed like a lifetime away. And boy was he nervous.

Nervous about what though? Troy wasn't sure.

Was he concerned that his time spent away meant that his friends had forgotten him? Did he think after traveling the world and seeing unbelievable things that Greendale would hold no joy for him? Or perhaps, was he simply worried that his absence from Abed's life meant that their strange connection from before had now been extinguished?

Of course not. That was ridiculous! Nothing in the world could tear them apart. They were tried and true, as thick as thieves. There was no Troy without Abed and no Abed without Troy.

They'd fall right back into their familiar patterns, no problem. He just had to keep telling himself that until he believed it.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he marched down the familiar hallway to their apartment and knocked twice on the door.

There was a brief pause before the door opened before him and Troy's beaming smile fell at the sight of the perfect stranger standing before him.

A redheaded woman had answered the door, smiling politely despite the confused look on her face. "Can I help you?" Her clear voice sounded, bringing Troy out of his daze.

He cleared his throat as he readjusted his back pack strap over his shoulder. "Uh... uh, is Abed here?" He stumbled.

The woman looked puzzled and shook her head quickly, her braided hair flying off her shoulder. "No, I'm sorry, I think you have the wrong apartment. I don't know anyone by that name."

Crestfallen, Troy quickly eyed the gold numbers laid out on the door to confirm this was indeed their old apartment. He managed a small smile in thanks as she shut the door.

He took a deep breath, having already given himself a pep talk about this very possibility, reminding himself this was to be expected. After all, why should Abed stay in the same place after so long? Especially when their conversations had been so few and far between over the last year.

Of course, he'd moved on. What was so special about Troy Barnes anyway?

As the man began to trudge back down the hall way in defeat, the door directly across the hall opened and a man's head poked out.

"Troy?!" Abed called in disbelief, the sound of which made the other halt and look back incredulously.

"Abed?!" He beamed.

Indeed it was. The man was now living in the apartment directly across the hall!

Troy ran over to the man, letting all of his wildest fantasies he'd dreamed up of their eventual reunion play out in his head. 

As he got closer however, he paused, unsure if throwing his arms around the man's shoulders for a hug would be suitable.

Abed looked pleased, a small smile playing across his face, but he too paused awkwardly at their encounter, neither sure what to do next.

"It's great to see you!" Troy managed breathlessly, pulling at his backpack strap to readjust the bag on his shoulder.

"Yeah. I didn't know you'd be back so soon!" Abed agreed, all smiles.

"It's been three years, Abed." Troy gave him a strange look.

"Yeah!"

After a moment, Abed excitedly invited him in to his new place and Troy let all of his nerves go, deciding on leaving them behind in the hallway.

...

After a little catching up and Abed explaining his choice to move in to a new place, the two settled down on the couch in the living room. The apartment was nicely decorated for autumn and had various Halloween decorations strung about courtesy of Annie. Though the two no longer shared an apartment, they still regularly hung out at Abed's.

To celebrate the season, Annie had given him some of her famous, homemade apple cider which Abed brought out now for the two to enjoy. 

It turned out that Troy just so happened to have a bottle of rum stowed away in his bag. Divvying up the cider into two different punch bowls, Troy mixed some of his run into one of the bowls for himself to enjoy.

Sitting back and enjoying a cup of the spiked cider, he was startled to notice Abed ladling the spiked version into his own cup.

"Oh no, Abed, that's not the cider." Troy began, watching as the man was ladling it into his plastic cup.

"It looks like cider."

"Yeah, but that's special cider."

"Oh okay. Well, if the choice is between regular and special, I want the special one!"

"No, I mean, just... nevermind." Troy sighed and shrugged to himself as Abed was already gulping it down.

Abed took his seat once again on the couch beside his friend, as each began sipping slowly from their plastic cups.

The age of the couch they sat on made the cushions begin to sink down together, causing the two's shoulders to rub up against each other. Troy's attention was immediately drawn to it.

He cleared his throat and tried to take his mind off of it. "So... how have things been with you since I've been gone? See any new movies?"

"Hmm. Nothing in the theater. But I did rewatch Ghostbusters II for the 300th time. That was pretty good."

"Ah."

The two fell into a comfortable silence, Troy beginning to doubt their relationship status once again. They seemed to have little to nothing to say to one another.

But then again, maybe that was a credit to just how close they were. Maybe they didn't need to fill the silence. Maybe their connection was strong enough on it's own.

Troy shifted in his seat a little more in an effort to sit not quite so close to his friend, resulting in their shoulders bumping together once more.

Abed suddenly let out a brash and loud chuckle at the movement, slightly out of character for the man. 

Troy began to laugh as well, the warmth of the rum in his drink making him feel a bit light-headed. "Sorry... " He said shyly with dark eyes under dark lashes as he glanced up at Abed through them. It was then he noticed just how much the cider must be affecting the man.

Downing his drink, Troy got up to get some more for himself and giving a half turn back to Abed, inquired him about his own to which he gleefully handed his cup over.

Freshly ladled drinks in hand, the two continued sipping slowly in silence until Abed piped up and suggested they watch Ghostbusters II.

Troy gazed at him from over the rim of his cup, trying to formulate a kind way of declining watching that movie again. Sure, he hadn't seen it in three years or more but twenty times with Abed was more than enough.

The weather outside began to perk up, the howling wind and rain hitting the panes of the windows surrounding them. Troy got up to peak out the blinds to see just how bad the storm was and as he turned back around to sit down again, the lights flickered and the power shut down.

"Aw. Guess Ghostbusters II will have to wait." Abed sighed, feeling disappointed.

"Oh no... darn it." Troy mumbled way less enthusiastically.

The two set about gathering candles for light and laid them out on the coffee table in front of them.

Bathed by the pale hues of candlelight now, Troy and Abed sat quietly contemplating the night.

Each finishing off their cider, there was another lull in the conversation.

Troy glanced at Abed, taken back at how just yesterday at this time he'd been in Canada boarding a plane and how now he was back with his best friend again. He found himself sinking further down into the cushions due to the angle and tried shifting in his seat, rocking the both of them back and forth with his movements.

Abed began to laugh again, falling easily against Troy's side. He looked up at him through heavy lidded eyes and beamed, happy to be here with his long estranged friend. 

Troy smiled at how cute the man seemed to be acting suddenly and they stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like an eternity. The cider was strong.

Finally, Abed sat up a little straighter as if something had just occurred to him. His brow furrowed and he turned to look at Troy again with a sobering look. "You spiked the cider!"

Looking guiltily at him, Troy nodded. "Yeah, I did."

"Hmm... I like it!" Abed nodded.

Troy stared down at his hands, turning over thoughts in his mind. Finally, he glanced back at his friend and taking a deep breath to beckon some courage, hesitantly spoke up again. "Abed, I... I really missed you while I was gone. I mean, I'm glad I went. I had a blast! Like, seeing the world? It was... incredible."

Abed nodded along as he tried to drink more of his cider but found his cup empty.

"But... "

"Hmm?"

"I... I missed you and well... " Troy trailed off, unsure of exactly what to say. Finally, he decided words would fail him no matter what and maybe it'd be better to demonstrate what he meant anyway. They were never really good with words.

Leaning in closely, Troy slowly captured the other man's lips and moved to place his hand on the back of his neck, pulling him in closer.

They kissed for the briefest of moments, Abed hesitating for just a moment before pushing forward to kiss Troy once more and to deepen the kiss.

Candlelight flickering on the table before them, the two broke apart for air and staring deeply into each other's eyes, both felt a sudden sense of relief and happiness bloom within their chests.

"So... you missed me too, huh?" Troy teased playfully.

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder." Abed nodded thoughtfully. "But, I think you should stay for a while. My fondness for you has already reached it's peak. It can't grow any fonder."

Troy grinned and sunk down into the couch cushions, entwining his arm with Abed's contently as he snuggled up to him. "I agree."


End file.
